Howick Falls

The Umgeni River drops about ninety-five metres over a dolerite lip in the centre of Howick, which makes this one of the easiest big waterfalls in the country to see - the viewing platform is a short walk from the main street, with a craft market and a small museum beside it. The Zulu name, KwaNogqaza, means place of the tall one, and local tradition holds that a creature called the inkanyamba lives in the pool below; that belief is why some people historically avoided the water. A steep path descends to the gorge floor and the pool, but it has a poor safety record and access has been restricted at times - the platform is where most people stay. The falls are strongest after summer rain. The Midlands Meander craft route runs through the surrounding hills, and the Nelson Mandela capture site monument is a short drive away.

What you actually see

• The 95 metre drop - a major waterfall in the middle of a working town.
• The platform - railed viewing a few steps from the parking and market.
• The inkanyamba - a local tradition of a creature in the pool below.
• The gorge path - a steep descent that has been restricted for safety.

When to go

November to April for water volume. One hour. It is a stop, not a destination.

Honest expectations

It is a town waterfall, with a market, traffic and buildings in every photograph. The gorge descent is dangerous and has had fatalities and muggings - stay on the platform unless with a guide. In dry winter the flow is thin.

Nearby

The Midlands Meander route runs through the hills; Karkloof Falls is north.